Driving mechanism for laundry machinery



May 30, 1950 L. 1.. POLAND 9,

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR LAUNDRY MACHINERY Filed Sept. 13, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l as F 1 y 1950 1.. 1.. POLAND I 2,509,939

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR LAUNDRY MACHINERY Filed Sept. 15, 14s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1221942291302 LZoydL.PoZl-n32d, 22y W i5 fliti'oawzey Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIVING MECHANISM FOR LAUNDRY MACHINERY Lloyd L. Poland, Boston, Mass. Application September 13, 1948, Serial No. 48,.99'3

Glaims. 1

This invention relates to mechanism for driving a rotatable driven member and embodies shifting means operative automatically to change the direction of rotation of the driven member periodically after a few revolutions in each direction.

The mechanism of the present invention is especially adapted for driving the rotatable drum which is an essential part of many types of laundry machinery and similar apparatus used by laundries for washing clothes, dry-cleaning garments, etc. This type of machinery comprises a receptacle adapted to hold a cleaning fluid, such as a soap solution, a hydrocarbon solvent, etc. A perforated cylindrical drum adapted to receive articles to be cleansed is supported for rotation within the receptacle. The inner surface of the drum usually is provided with a plurality of ribs which tend to carry the articles being cleansed with the drum a part of a revolution and then release them. The direction of rotation of the drum usually is reversed after every three or four revolutions to facilitate the cleaning action.

It has been common practice to employ an expensive reversing electric motor with control apparatus for driving the drum and reversing its direction of rotation. This usually requires three phase current which is not available for many desired installations. So far as I am aware no other means has been proposed for this purpose which is entirely satisfactory and can be manufactured at a cost sufficiently low to warrant .its use.

The present invention contemplates a low cost mechanism suitable for this purpose which is adapted to receive and transmit power fromany desired source, such as a low cost electric motor or an overhead power shaft.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a rear longitudinal .elevational view of a laundry machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the same partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken upon the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic rear longitudinal elevational view of a portion of the machine;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and showing the parts in difierent positions; and

Fig. '7 is an enlargedsectional view taken upon the line 'l--'| of Fig. 6.

The machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a frame II] in which supported a stationary receptacle ll adapted to contain a cleaning fluid, such as a soap solution, a hydrocarbon solvent, etc. A perforated drum f2 adapted to receive'articles to be cleansed is supported for rotation within the receptacle ll For this purpose, the opposite ends of the drum are suitably secured to the adjacent ends of aligned shafts "t3 and M which extend through the ends of the receptacle 1 i and are rotatably mounted in bearings in frame It. A pulley 15 is fixed 'upon each "of the shafts i3 and 14 near their outer ends. A shaft I6 is rotatably mounted in hearings in frame til and has a pulley 'li fixed thereto near each end. Belts IB operatively connect the pulleys 4-5 and H.

A-pair of spaced pulleys 20 and 21 are supported upon shaft t6 for rotation relative thereto. A pulley 23 is fixed upon shaft 16 and is positioned between pulleys-2i! and 2| with its peripheral surface substantially continuous with that of each-of the pulleys 2i] and 2|. The pulley 20 is rotated continuously in one direction by any suitable means, such as by an electric motor M through a belt 24.

A pair of rods 26 and 2-! spaced transversely of the machine (Figs. 1, 2, 5-and 6) are supported in "fixed parallel relation -by the frame H]. The rods 26 and '21 slidably support a carrier C forming "-part of a shifting mechanism for changing the direction of rotation of pulley 23 automatically for desired intervals. The carrier G comprises a main supporting member 30 extending between the rods 26 and 21 and having bearing surfaces adapted for sliding engagement with the rods. (Dne end of each of a pair of spaced rods 3! and 32 is fixed in the member 3&1. A shaft 33 extends between and is slidably supported upon the other end portions of the rods 3| and 32. As illustrated, the shaft 33 is provided with anopening 34 (Fig. 7') through which the rods 3| and 32 project. The shaft 33 normally is held against stops 36 and3l fixed upon the rods 3i and 32 respectively by springs 38 and 39 surrounding the rods and extendingbetween the shaft and member '30. A pair of idler pulleys 4| and 42 are rotatably supported in spaced relation upon shaft 33. Anendless belt 43 operatively connects pulleys 20, 2|, "4] and 32 in drivin-g relation at all time'sand is arranged so that pulley 2| is rotated ma direction opposite to that of pulley 20.

Suitable mechanism is provided for reciprocating the carrier C at a desired rate. A suitable mechanism for this'pu rp'ose maycomprise a worm wheel 45 fixed upon a stud shaft 46 mounted in bearings carried by the frame Ill. The worm wheel 45 is engaged by a worm 44 rotatably mounted upon shaft i5 and having a driving connection with the hub of pulley 2|. One end of an L-shaped bar 41 is secured to the member 30. A cam follower 48 is fixed in the bar 41 near its other end and engages a cam groove 49 in the rear face of a disc 55 fixed upon the shaft 46. The cam groove has two diametrically opposite circular portions 5| and 52 each extending about 150 angular degrees. The portions 5| and 52 are connected by inclined groove portions 53 and 54. When the cam follower 48 engages the portion 5| the carrier is held at one end of its path of movement and when the follower 48 engages the portion 52 the carrier is held at the opposite end of its path of movement. Engagement of the follower 48 with the portions 53 and 54 causes the.

carrier C to be moved from one end of its path of movement to the other. The arrangement is such that the cam disc 58 rotates once for about every eight revolutions of the drum l2.

The motor M is adapted to supply the necessary power to operate the machine. Thus, by energizing the motor, power is transmitted through the belt 24 to rotate the pulley 20 continuously in one direction. Power is transmitted through the belt 43 to rotate the pulley 2| continuously in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation Rotation of the pulley of pulley 20 at all times. 2| is transmitted through the worm 44 and worm wheel 45 to cause continuous rotation of the cam disc 50. Assuming that the cam follower 48 is positioned in the circular portion of the cam groove 49 and the cam disc 50 is rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the carrier C will be positioned at one end of its path of movement as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the cam disc 53 has rotated to a position such that the cam follower 48 enters the inclined cam groove portion 53, the carrier C is moved from its dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 to its full line position, or opposite end of its path of movement. When the carrier C is in its full line position indicated in Fig. 4, the cam follower 48 is positioned in the circular portion 52 of the cam groove 43. As rotation of the cam disc 50 continues and the cam follower 48 enters the inclined portion 54 of the cam groove 49, the

carrier 0 is moved from its full line position back idler pulleys 4| and 42 to be moved bodily in the same direction and shifts the position of the belt 43 with respect to the pulleys 20, 2| and 23. Thus, when the carrier C is in the full line position shown in Fig. 4, one portion of the belt 43 overlaps and engages both of the pulleys and 23 while the portion of the belt 43 engaging the pulley 2| is out of engagement with the pulley 23 as indicated in full lines in Fig. 4. When the belt 43 is thus positioned, the pulley 23 is driven in the same direction as pulley 20 and power is transmitted to rotate the drum |2 clockwise as viewed from the right of Fig. 1. This rotation of the drum I2 continues so long as the cam follower 48 engages the circular portion 52 of the cam groove 49, that is, for about 3 to 4 revolutions of the drum. It will be noted that under these conditions of operation, the springs 3| and 32 permit the shaft 33 to tilt slightly as indicated in Fig. 5 thus taking up slack in belt 43.

When the carrier C is moved from its full linev aaoaese position to its dotted line position shown in Fig. 4, the portion of the belt 43 engaging pulley 20 is moved out of engagement with pulley 23 and the portion engaging pulley 2| is shifted to overlap and engage both the pulleys 2| and 23 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the belt 43 is thus positioned, the pulley 23 is driven in the same direction as pulley 2| and power is transmitted to rotate the drum |2 counterclockwise as viewed from the right of Fig. l. Rotation of the drum in this direction continues so long as the cam follower 48 engages the circular portion 5| of the cam groove 43, that is, about 3 to 4 revolutions. It will be noted that under these conditions of operation, the springs 3| and 32 permit the shaft 33 to tilt slightly as indicated in Fig. 6, thus taking up slack in belt 43.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of spaced driving pulleys, a driven pulley positioned between said driving pulleys and forming there-with a substantially continuous surface, a pair of spaced idler pulleys supported for movement bodily in a path spaced from said driving pulleys and parallel to the axes thereof, the axes of said idler pulleys being substantially perpendicular to the axes of the driving pulleys, an endless belt providing an operative driving connection between said driving and idler pulleys and alternately engaging a driv ing and idler pulle to rotate said driving pulleys in opposite directions, and means for reciprocatingthe idler pulleys along said path to connect said driven pulley alternately in driving relation with each driving pulley while maintaining an operative driving connection between all of the driving and idler pulleys.

2. In combination, a driven shaft, a first pair of idler pulleys mounted in spaced relation upon said shaft for independent rotation relative thereto, a pulley fixed to said shaft and positioned, between said pair of idler pulleys and forming with the latter a substantially continuous surface, acarrier mounted for movement in a path spaced from said pulleys and parallel to said shaft, means for supporting a second pair ofidler pulleys upon said carrier for movement therewith with their axes substantially perpendicular .to the axes of the first pair of idler pulleys, an endless belt providing an operative driving connection between all the pulleys of said first and second pairs and alternately engagin a pulley of said first and second pairs to rotate the pulleys of said first pair in opposite directions, means for reciprocating said carrier to cause said belt .to connect said fixed pulley alternately in driving relation with each pulley of said first pair while maintaining an operative driving connection between all the pulleys of said first and second pairs, and driving means for moving said endless belt longitudinally.

3. In combination, a driven shaft, a first pair of idler pulleys mounted in spaced relation upon said shaft for independent rotation relative thereto, a pulley fixed to said shaft and positioned between said pair of idler pulleys and forming with the latter a substantially continuous surface, a carrier mounted for movement in a path spaced from said pulleys and parallel to said shaft,

means for supporting a second pair of idler pulleys upon said carrier for movement therewith with their axes substantially perpendicular to the axes of the first pair of idler pulleys, an end-' less belt providing an operative driving connection between all the pulleys of said first and second pairs and alternately engaging a pulley'of;

said first and second pairs to rotate the pulleys of said first pair in opposite directions, means for reciprocating said carrier to cause said belt to connect said fixed pulley alternately in driving relation with each pulley of said first pair while maintaining an operative driving connection between all the pulleys of said first and second pairs, said supporting means including means for automatically changing the positions of the pulleys of said second pair in response to changes in tension upon different portions of said belt as said carrier is moved into its difierent functional positions, and driving means for moving said endless belt longitudinally.

4. In combination, a, driven shaft, a first pair of idler pulleys mounted in spaced relation upon said shaft for independent rotation relative thereto, a pulley fixed to said shaft and positioned between said pair of idler pulleys and forming with the latter a substantially continuous surface, a carrier mounted for movement in a path spaced from said pulleys and parallel to said shaft, means for supporting a second pair of idler pulleys upon said carrier for movement therewith with their axes substantially perpendicular to the axes of the first pair of idler pulleys, an endless belt providing an operative driving connection between all the pulleys of said first and second pairs and alternately engaging a pulley of said first and second pairs to rotate the pulleys of said first pair in opposite directions, means actuated by the rotation of one of the pulleys of said first pair for reciprocating said carrier to cause said belt to connect said fixed pulley alternately in driving relation with each pulley of said first pair while maintaining an operative driving connection between all the pulleys of said first and second pairs, and means for moving said endless belt longitudinally.

5. In combination, a pair of rotatable idler members, a rotatable driven member positioned between said idler members, a carrier, means for supporting said carrier for reciprocating movement in a path spaced from said idler members and said driven member and parallel to their axes of rotation, mechanism operatively engaging said idler members whereby rotation of one idler member causes rotation of the other idler member in the opposite direction, each of the portions of said mechanism engaging said idler members being slidable thereon for simultaneous movement in the same direction whereby either of said portions ma be moved into driving engagement with said driven member while the other of said portions is moved out of engagement with said driven member and maintain both of said portions in driving engagement with said idler members, said mechanism also having a portion thereof supported upon said carrier for rotation and for reciprocating movement therewith in said path and being adapted when so reciprocated to effect said shifting of said mechanism into and out of driving engagement with said driven member, separate means for rotating one of said pair of idler members in one direction, and means for reciprocating said carrier. LLOYD L. POLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,264,340 Simon Apr. 30, 1918 1,307,919 Mulligan June 24, 1919 1,969,649 Johnson Aug. 71', 193 2,436,536 Wheeler Feb. 24;, 1948 2,450,262 Winslow Sept. 28, 1948 

